Holoprosencephaly: prenatal diagnosis by sonography and magnetic resonance imaging

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed on two women at the 33rd and 34th pregnancy week, respectively, after ultrasonographic detection of a brain malformation. Fetal neuromuscular blockade was induced by pancuronium bromide injected into the umbilical vein under continuous ultrasound (US) guidance. MR images supported the echotomographic diagnosis of holoprosencephaly, improving the image quality and offering additional information in such cases of difficult differential fetal diagnosis. Holoprosencephaly was finally confirmed by neonatal US and autopsy (case 1), US, CT and MR (case 2).

[Ultrasonic diagnosis of cerebellar hemorrhage in newborn infants. Apropos of 2 cases]

The sonographic diagnosis of cerebral hemorrhage, in preterm infants is quite easy. On the contrary the prematurity degree of the patient and the anatomic location of the intracerebellar hemorrhage makes of this important lesion a difficult diagnosis to achieve. We present our results of 248 preterm infants scanned by ultrasound, in our Institute, to detect intraventricular or subependymal hemorrhage. Out of the 248 patients the incidence of SEH or IVH was 21%, only 1 case of intracerebellar hemorrhage, as complication of IVH-SHE, was found. Another intracerebellar hemorrhage was diagnosed in a full term newborn without other signs of hemorrhage.

CT evaluation of the pelvic cavity after cystectomy: observation in 40 cases

This study reports our experience with CT in 40 patients who underwent total cystectomies. This technique permits careful monitoring of post-operative recovery and defects and identifies complications, local recurrences, or diffuse neoplastic spread. In complete cystectomies with or without neobladder, the possibility of recognizing abnormalities depends on the operator's ability to recognize normal postoperative modifications and asymmetry in the muscle masses along the lateral walls and to identify any unusual masses. Local recurrence in the pelvic cavity can show up as alterations in the thickness of the soft structures that cover the pelvic walls or as new masses. A postoperative abscess is suggested by the demonstration of gas in a nonintestinal mass. A urinoma generally presents as a low density mass with a thin wall even if some urinomas communicate with the genitourinary tract and therefore opacify with the use of intravenous contrast medium administration. Despite these limitations, CT remains the best investigative technique for exploring the pelvic cavity after cystectomy, making it an indispensable examination in well-programmed patient follow-up.